Georgia's Political Heritage Program

Georgia's Political Heritage Program is a video/ audio tape collection that is designed to capture valuable, but disappearing historical resources. The collection began in 1985 and captures the memory of Georgia's political leaders as they relate their roles in the state's political history.

West Georgia history faculty interviews on video and audio, record key political figures such as former Governors, Lieutenant Governors, U.S. Senators and Congressmen and House Speakers. The collection also includes audio tape of supporting interviews, speeches and presentations.

The archive section of the Ingram Library at West Georgia also serves as the repository for the political papers of Newt Gingrich and Pat Swindall as well as those of political figures of regional interest such as Senators J. Ebb Duncan and Wayne Garner and Representatives Carolyn Lee, John Simpson and Charles Thomas. The archive is in the process of continually broadening its collection. Interviews with all the former governors of Georgia since World War II are included with the exceptions of M.E. Thompson and Marvin Griffin, both of whom were deceased prior to the inception of the program.

The materials collected for the program are housed in the archive section of the Ingram Library and cataloged with the OCLC system, providing ready access to students, historians, scholars and the public. Donations for the public use of this collection are greatly appreciated.

Program collections include video tape interviews with the following:

Gov. Ellis Arnall

8 tapes

Rep. Phil Landrum

8 tapes

Rep. Doug Barnard

2 tapes

Rep. Elliott Levitas

6 tapes

Gov. Roy Barnes

1 tape

Rep. Jamie Mackay

2 tapes

Rep. Bob Barr

3 tapes

Gov. Lester Maddox

6 tapes

Att. Gen. Griffin Bell

2 tapes

Sen. Mack Mattingly

7 tapes

Rep. Ben Blackburn

2 tapes

Gov. Zell Miller

3 tapes

Cartoonist David Boyd

2 tapes

Speaker Tom Murphy

6 tapes

Gov. George Busbee

2 tapes

Rep. Richard Ray

7 tapes

Lt. Gov. Garland Byrd

2 tapes

Rep. Roy Rowland

2 tapes

Rep. Howard "Bo" Callaway

3 tapes

Gov. Carl Sanders

6 tapes

Pres. Jimmy Carter

1 tape

Lt. Gov. George T. Smith

6 tapes

Rep. George "Buddy" Darden

6 tapes

State Rep. Tracy Stallings

3 tapes

State Rep. Dock Davis

2 tapes

Rep. Robert G. Stephens

2 tapes

Rep. John "Jack" Flynt

4 tapes

Rep. Pat Swindall

6 tapes

Sen. David Gambrell

3 tapes

Ex. Sec. Tom Perdue

2 tapes

State Sen. Wayne Garner

1 tape

Sen. Herman Talmadge

36 tapes

GOP National Committeeman Carl Gillis

2 tapes

Rep. Lindsay Thomas

6 tapes

State Rep. Denmark Groover

2 tapes

Rep. Fletcher Thompson

2 tapes

Gov. Joe Frank Harris

4 tapes

Gov. Ernest S. Vandiver

4 tapes

Rep. Charles Hatcher

3 tapes

State Sen. Charles Walker

1 tapes

Lt.Gov. Pierre Howard

2 tapes

Rep. Charles Weltner

6 tapes

Rep. Ed. Jenkins

3 tapes

State Rep. Hosea Williams

2 tapes

Rep. Ben Jones

2 tapes

Rep. Andy Young

2 tapes

State Sen. Culver Kidd

2 tapes

In addition, the Gingrich papers are supported by over 30 video tapes and over 300 audio tapes. The Swindall papers by 6 video tapes and 60 audio tapes, and the Talmadge interview by over a dozen interviews of staff and supports.

Tax deductible donations may be made to the program through the University of West Georgia Foundation. For further information about the program please contact:

Dr. Mel Steely, Director
Georgia's Political Heritage Program
History Department
University of West Georgia
Carrollton GA 30118 msteely@westga.edu